Means for automatically extinguishing lamps.



No. 827.596. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906. E, J. FROST.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXTINGUISHINGLAMPS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.4.1902.

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PATBNTBD AUG. 7, 1906.

' E. J. FROST. MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXTINGU-ISHING LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4.1902.

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PATENTED AUG. 7, 1 906 E.J.FROST. I MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXTINGUISHING LAMPS.

APPLIOATIQN FILED AUGA. 1902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. FROST, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BLAIR LIGHT COMPANY, OF NORTHBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXTlNGUlSHl-NG LAMPS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed August A, 1902. Serial No. 118,320.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. Fnosr, a citizen of the United States, residing in Detroit, Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in Means for Automatically EX- tinguishing Lamps, 01 which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent explosion of the pressure-tanks of lamps in which the fluid is maintained under pressure. This object I attain by providing means for automatically extinguishing the lamp when the pressure reaches a given point.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a lamp, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2' is a plan view of the ex-' tinguishing device. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same, partly in elevation. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a modification of the invention. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a further modification of the same.

It is well known to those familiar with the subject that in all pressurelamps in which naphtha or gasolene is used danger exists through the possibility of generating a high pressure in the supplytank. One reason for this is the accumulation of foreign matter on the seat of the regulating-valve, thus preventing said valve from closing upon its seat, so that naphtha continues to be fed to the vaporizer after the regulating-valve mechanism should have cut off the flow, with the result that abnormal pressure is developed in the supply-tank and the latter explodes, causing the destruction of the lamp.

By my invention I provide means for automatically cutting off the supply of oil to the lamp as soon as the pressure in the supplytank reaches a given point.

A is the lamp-casing, having an oil-tank B, which in the present instance surrounds the flue A of the lamp.

C is the burner, having a mantle c of any type, and this burner is supported by the mixing-tube C, a globe a inclosing the burner.

D is a pipe leading from the bottom of the tank B and extending into the chimney A of the lamp, in which it has one or more coils, as desired, and is then connected to a coupling D, which is in turn connected to a pipe D leading to the nozzle d, which is directly above the mixing-tube C.

The coupling D is also connected to the pipe D leading to the regulating-valve cham-v er E, the latter in the present instance having a diaphragm 6 connected to the valvestem 6, which passes down through a tubular casing e in the supply-tank, the latter casing communicating with the interior of the tank and also with the interior of the chamber E below the diaphragm e, the latter being acted on by a spring 6 tending to de press it.

The valve-stem e has at its lower end a valve 6 which controls the escape of the naphtha from the tank B in the usual mannerthat is to say, when'the pressure below the diaphragm reaches a given point it will close the valve and prevent the flow of fluid from the tank. In the event of anything clogging this valve, so as to prevent it from closing, the naphtha will pass from the tank into the tube D and flow through the nozzle d, and therefore the lamp will continue to burn until the pressure in the tank is raised to such a point as to cause it to explode.

By my invention I provide a meanssuch, for instance, as a shutterwhich I actuate by suitable means independent of theregulating-valve, so as to cause it to pass between the nozzle and the mixing-chamber, and thus cut oil the supply of gas or vapor when the pressure in the tank reaches a certain point. Since there are in this mechanism no relatively extended surfaces in contact with each other, as in ordinary valves, it is impossible to clog the mechanism, and if the gas or vapor continues to flow after the regulating valve is closed it cannot enter the mixingtube, with the result that the lamp will beextinguished.

The mechanism which I prefer to use is shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 and consists of a casing F, in which is a diaphragm f, separating the easing into two parts. Connected to the upper part in the present instance is a tube F, which is coupled to the supply-pipe B of the tank B, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pressure in the chamber above the diaphragm f will be the same as that in the tank B.

Pivoted tov the under side of the casing at g is a lever G, held in its normal position by a spring 9, mounted in a pocket in the casing and bearing against the loose block 9 which i; turn rests against one arm of the lever G,

the pressure of this spring being regulated by a screw-plug g against which the opposite end of the spring rests. The other end of the lever G extends into the path of projections h on the hub of the shutter H, this hub being pivoted to the frame by a pin or bolt I and having a rounded end 72., which when in position to extinguish the lamp rests between the nozzle d and the mixing-tube O, as shown in Fig. 3. The shape of the shutter will depend greatly upon the type of lamp used.

I is a spring which is secured to a stud I and bears against a pin h on the shutter H, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the parts are in the normal position and the shutter is clear of' the nozzle, as shown in Fig. 1, the lever G engages with the projections h of the shutter and holds the latter in the open position against the pres sure of the spring I but if the pressure in the tank increases beyond the normal the diaphragm f will be forced down, causing the pin f which extends from the diaphragm and rests in a pocket in the lever, to force the lever down against the pressure of the spring -g until said lever clears the projec tions h on the shutter I-I. As soon as the shutter is released the spring I will cause it to move until it assumes a position between the nozzle d' and the mixing-tube C, thereby immediately cutting off the supply of gas or vapor to the burner, whose flame is consequently extinguished.

The face of the shutter may be covered with leather or other suitable material, so as to make a gas-tight joint, if desired; but in ractice I find that this is not necessary.

y adjusting the screw-plug g the pressure at which the shutter is liberated and the light extinguished can be regulated as accurately as desired.

When after the pressure in the tank has been reduced it is necessary to relight the lamp, the shutter can be moved back to its normal position and locked therein by the lever G.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of my invention in which a tube-spring F is used instead of the diaphragm. This tube is bent in the form of a segment of a circle and is attached at one end to a fixed coupling F which is connected in turn to the 5 5 tank, the opposite end of the tube being connected to the short arm of the shutter-lever II by a suitable link F so that as the ring expands or contracts with the variable 4 pressures in the tank the shutter will as soon 60 as the normal pressure is exceeded move and cut off the supply of gas to the mixingchamber, and hence the lamp will be immediately extinguished.

In Fig. 5 I have shown another modifica- 6 5 tion of my invention in which the tube F passes through a suitable nipplein the bottom of the oil-tank and is extended up to a point near the top of the tank, thereby doing away with the outside connection shown in Fi 1.

It will be observed that the shutter 72/ serves the purpose of a supplementary valve which corrects the deficiencies of the valve e as a means of regulating the flow of gas or vapor to the burner.

I claim as my invention a 1. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure-tank for liquid fuel, a burner, a shutter placed to cut off the flow of fuel to the burner after it has been gasified or vaporized, means for operating the shutter, means for locking the shutter against said operating means,

land means operated by pressure in the tank for releasing said operating means, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a lamp of a pressure-tank, a burner, means for regulating the pressure in the tank, a shutter for cutting off the flow of gas or vapor to the burner, means for causing operation of the shutter and a device for releasing said operating means when the pressure in the tank reaches a certain point, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a lamp of a burner, a reservoir, means for governing the pressure of fluid flowing from said reservoir to the burner, a vapor-jet nozzle with means set in operation by a predetermined pressure of the fuel and constructed 'to be automatically projected in front of said nozzle for preventing the flow of fuel therefrom to said burner, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure-tank, a burner, a mixing-tube, a pipe leading from the tank to the mixing-tube and terminating in a nozzle, a shutter arranged to be interposed between the nozzle and the mixing-tube, and means for thus interposing the shutter when the pressure in the tank reaches a certain point, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a lamp of a supplytank, a burner, a device actuated by fluidpressure in the tank for regulating the flow of fluid therefrom to the burner, and a supplementary fluid-controlling device connected to the tank independently of the first device and also actuated by the fluid-pressure in said tank, said latter device including a movable piece placed to be acted on by the fluid under pressure, and an element placed to be held in a set position by said piece, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure-tank, a burner, a vaporizer placed to be within the heat zone of the burner, a device operated by fluid-pressure in the tank placed to control the flow of fluid from said tank to the vaporizer, with a supplementary fluidcontrolling device independent of the first IIO and including an element constructed to be set byhand and released under predetermined conditions of the pressure in the tank, said supplementary device being placed to control the flow of gas or vapor from the vaporizer to the burner, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure-tank, a burner, a mixing-tube, a pipe leading from the tank to the mixing-tube and within the heat zone of the lamp, a casing having a diaphragm therein, a tube connecting one portion of the diaphragm-chamber to the pressure-tank, a lever connected to the diaphragm, a spring for retaining the lever in its normal position, a pivoted shutter held in its normal or open position by the lever, and

a spring for moving the shutter into position for closing the mouth of the mixing-tube, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure-tank, a burner, a mixing-tube, a pipe leading from the tank to the mixing-tube, a pivoted shutter arranged to be moved between the said pipe and the mixing-tube so as to out ofi the supply of gas to the mixingtube, a casing, a diaphragm in said casing, a tube leading from the upper portion of the casing and to the upper portion of the pressure-tank, a lever pivoted to the said casing, a pin coupling the said lever to the dia phragm, a spring bearing upon the opposite arm of the lever, means for regulating said spring, a projection on the hub of the shutter with which the lever engages, and a spring for actuating the shutter, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a pressuretank,a burner, a vaporizer connected between said tank and burner, with two fluid-controlling devices actuated by fluid under pressure from the tank, one of the same being connected to control fluid-flow between the tank and the vaporizer and the other being connected to control fluid-flow between the vaporizer and the burner, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a pressure-tank, a burner, a vaporizer connected between said tank and burner, with two fluid-controlling devices actuated by fluid under pressure from the tank, one of the same being connected to control fluid-flow between the tank and the vaporizer and the other being connected to control fluid-flow between the vaporizer and the burner, one of said controlling devices being adjusted to be actuated at a pressure difierent from that actuating the other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDl/VARD J. FROST. Witnesses:

J. W. DANIELS. HENRY KUNZE. 

